Lens That Transformed My Photos: EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Mt. Fuji - a world-famous mountain in Japan that presents different faces at different times of the year. In this article, we will introduce picturesque shots of Mt. Fuji captured using the EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM by a professional photographer who has been pursuing the different fascinating looks of the mountain. (Reported by: hashimuki)

Beautifully captures the different looks of Mt. Fuji in different seasons

I started photographing Mt. Fuji not because I was inspired by a particular piece of work, nor because I was impressed at the sight of the mountain. Instead, my reason was very simple: because it was the country’s most well-known photographic subject and happened to be located in Shizuoka, my hometown.

In the past, I used to photograph mainly flowers and landscapes in my hometown. Mt. Fuji was only something secondary because I thought relying on such a straightforward subject would not help to improve my photo skills. Back then, my idea of a nature photographer was someone who determines a main subject and uses his/her imagination to capture the decisive shot.

However, in the course of photographing Mt. Fuji, I gradually came to appreciate its fascinating presence as a part of nature. For example, I would capture changes in the colours of Mt. Fuji in the different seasons of the year and the ever-changing looks of the clouds around the mountain. At times, I would also include different flowers, which always appear different every year, or capture Mt. Fuji with the sun, moon, Milky Way, or at sunrise and sunset. There is so much appeal about Mt. Fuji that I can go on endlessly about it.

So, in order to get more serious about photographing Mt. Fuji, I purchased the EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM. This lens allows me to bring out the beauty of the mountain up to a distance of about 80km.

To capture Mt. Fuji at sunrise from my hometown, Shizuoka City, a focal length of 24mm is good enough to produce shots with a strong impact. From around the Fuji Five Lakes, the EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM is capable of capturing shots of “Diamond Fuji”, a phenomenon that resembles the brilliance of a diamond when the sun overlaps with the summit, and also “Pearl Fuji”, a phenomenon where the full moon sits on the summit. I would need to set the lens to the telephoto side in order to produce impressive shots such as those of cap clouds and roll clouds appearing at the top of the mountain, and the focal length of 105mm allows me to obtain satisfactory results. Not only so, the EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM is also a perfect lens for me to include landscapes in different seasons as the foreground, such as the tea fields, Japanese pampas grass and frost-covered trees.

In fact, I have been photographing Mt. Fuji for the past year using only the EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM. It is the ideal choice for capturing the constantly-changing looks of the mountain.

A shot of the Lake Festival that is held on Lake Kawaguchi in summer. Mt. Fuji forms a gorgeous background with lights of the mountain climbers visible. I was so captivated by the fireworks toward the end of the show that I almost forgot about the presence of Mt. Fuji.

Spring is an extremely busy season for photographers of Mt. Fuji, with plum blossoms, cherry blossoms and first tea of the season. In this shot, I have included the clear blue sky and the glaring green of the tea field together with Mt. Fuji.

Silhouette of Mt. Fuji at dawn in the clear air of the autumn season. As the sun rises, the Japanese pampas grass at the foot of the mountain starts to shine brilliantly, forming a beautiful autumn scene that drives me speechless.

I waited for the sun to rise under the gusty wind and a low temperature of -15°C. However, the beautiful silvery-white world that unfolds before my eyes at sunrise is so breathtaking that I forget totally about the harsh coldness.

Born in 1977 in Shizuoka Prefecture, hashimuki took up photography after purchasing a mirrorless camera in 2012. Fascinated by Mt. Fuji, he later purchased Canon’s EOS 6D and lenses to pursue more serious photography.

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